Roche has acquired rights to an early-stage beta-lactamase inhibitor for use in combination with new or existing antibiotics to treat infections resistant to current drugs. In 2013, Roche in-licensed another asset that targets multi-drug resistant pathogens.
Shire Plc is to strengthen its rare-disease franchise with an agreement to acquire NPS Pharmaceuticals Inc of Bedminster, New Jersey for $5.2 billion. The transaction, announced on 11 January, has been approved by the boards of directors of both companies.
Cardio3 BioSciences SA has acquired a portfolio of immuno-oncology assets in the US thereby expanding its therapeutic focus to cancer in addition to cardiovascular medicine. The Belgium-based company specialises in regenerative medicine.
The Sweden-based biotechnology company Active Biotech AB has raised SEK 225 million (€24 million) in an oversubscribed rights issue to support development of its clinical-stage portfolio, the lead product of which is in a pivotal trial for multiple sclerosis.
Pieris AG, of Germany has achieved US funding of $13.56 million and a Nasdaq listing by entering into a reverse takeover.
The Roche group is set to broaden its antibody technology holdings with the acquisition of the privately-owned Austrian company Dutalys GmbH which has a new bispecific antibody platform. The deal is valued at up to $489 million including milestones.
Merck & Co Inc has bolstered its oncology portfolio with the acquisition of the privately-held Swiss biotechnology company OncoEthix SA which has a BET bromodomain inhibitor in Phase 1b for the treatment of haematological malignancies and advanced solid tumours.
Geneva-headquartered Index Ventures has invested £2 million in Stealthyx Therapeutics Ltd, a small British company that has developed an encapsulation technology for delivering biologics to the site of a disease. Stealthyx is a spin-out of Queen Mary, University of London.
BerGenBio AS, a privately held platform company which is developing products that interfere with cancer metastasis, has raised NOK 90 million (€9.75 million) in equity financing to further develop its pipeline of early-stage therapies.
Two European companies with complementary technology platforms have joined forces to supply drug targeting services to Forma Therapeutics Inc, a US company working to discover new compounds to treat cancer and other genetically-driven diseases.